The Politics Of Hans Balila
By Mikael Rizada Borres
Portions of the interviews were conducted in Cebuano (Bisaya).
All Cebuano quotes have been translated into English for clarity and length.
On November 20, 2023, Hans Balila rallied alongside around 300 university students of Cebu, walking out of their classrooms in protest of what they consider to be flagrant injustices and archaic policies within the Philippine education system. The president of the University of San Carlos’ Supreme Student Council (USC SSC), a self-described national democrat, and a student advocate who believes in stripping the colonial, feudal, and capitalist status quo out of every school in the country, Hans took to Fuente Osmeña Circle with his fellow students to make their calls for genuine change louder and clearer for politicians who fail to make progress happen.
In the hours and days after the student walkout, Hans’ face was on several news outlets, from pictures published by Today’s Carolinian, Rappler, and the Philippine Star, to the front page of SunStar Cebu.
Hans’ mother may not have been too pleased to see her son’s face at the protest. She confronted him the day before the walkout when she saw one of his posts on Facebook. He was inviting others to join him and fellow student leaders on November 20.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) by Hans himself, posted hours after the walkout, he confessed that he “lied” to his mother. He told her he couldn’t attend the walkout since he had classes that day.
“I think she knew I was lying,” Hans said in the tweet, “but, in a conflict-avoidant family, we never talk about politics.”
All In The Family
The Balila household, consisting of a businesswoman mother, a retired policeman father, and four children (three boys – including Hans, the youngest sibling – and a girl), don’t really express their politics. They don’t express much of anything, actually. When members of the Balila household do express themselves, especially their emotions, it’d be a ‘Haley’s Comet’ kind of event. One would be more likely to see them swimming through outer space than to see them hugging each other; it’s just not their thing. Hans would describe his family as “unexpressive” and “emotionally unavailable.”
Hans then recalled one of his high school Filipino class assignments. He and his classmates were tasked to learn more about their parents' “love story” — narrating their journey, from their first encounter to tales of their marriage. The problem, however, was that Hans didn’t have the confidence to ask his parents about their love story. He had to tell his teacher that he couldn’t do the assignment, owing to the Balilas’ family dynamics. “At first, she was doubtful, and I tried to explain to her that it’s our family situation,” said Hans.
“It’s not that we don’t like each other. It’s just that we have different means of interaction in the house.”
The teacher exempted Hans from the assignment, without needing him to do any alternative work. Hans didn’t have to go through the most ever-so-awkward and über-anxiety-inducing task of all time in the world: asking his parents how they met. Mission impossible, it sounds like.
Hans’ family being non-expressive stems from years of them feeling content with the scarce number of chances for them to connect. For years until his retirement, his policeman father had to traverse between their home in Compostela and his work in Cebu City, an hours-long daily trek. His “hardworking” businesswoman mother possesses the ‘make money out of whatever makes a profit’ type of thinking, finding any means to provide for her children.
“My family, they had to work hard for whatever they have right now,” said Hans, “and, you know, when your parents had to work hard for things, they rarely have time for their children. They’re busy at work.”
But Hans does not wail or mourn for the expressiveness and emotional availability he could have felt in his family. These days, he’s gotten used to the natural order of Balila things, that they don’t kiss and hug and utter loving words. Others may hear how Hans and his family’s way of interacting and pity him, but Hans himself is not troubled by his reality.
Hans pinned the point hard when he said, “You can’t miss something you have never experienced.”
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Even with the emotional distance between Hans and his family, the two used to be connected by politics. Hans would also suggest that his family was an influence on his past viewpoints. Their old ability to shape what he thinks could explain why Hans Balila, who wears his progressiveness on his sleeve these days, was once a “raging conservative.”
When describing his politics before his current left-leaning ideology, he said: “I supported [Rodrigo] Duterte; I supported extrajudicial killings.”
He believes his initial embrace of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte came from a sentiment of localism, an idea he got from his family. He thought that ethnically Bisaya Filipinos (like Hans) should support a fellow Bisaya (like Duterte) running for office. The younger Hans also viewed Duterte as “really humble.” Looking back, he finds these reasons to be “surface-level things, not exactly relevant to gauging the competence of a president.”
During the interview we conducted on July 6, 2023, Hans made it clear that he no longer supports extrajudicial killing. Moreover, his evolution on the issue can be seen through his frequent participation in protests against the Dutertes and Marcoses and their legacies. The same can be said when noting his membership in progressive mass organizations like the Student Alliance for Nationalism And Democracy (STAND USC), which has called out present and past extrajudicial killings committed during the times of Marcos and Duterte.
However, as Hans would admit, he used to support extrajudicial killings, specifically for “rapists” and “drug pushers.”
When asked to describe his former support for the practice, he said: “Because I wasn’t yet aware of how unfair the justice system is. [...] I realized that it’s dangerous, in a way, that our justice system is not exactly a beacon of justice in that sometimes, it favours the privileged.”
Taking His Stances, Taking His Chances
It was during his senior high school years that Hans began to feel a shift in his politics towards what he subscribes to today. Attending a high school in the relatively liberal Cebu City certainly paved a departure from the conservative overtures surrounding him in Compostela. “It’s really true, the prejudice that when you compare the province and the urban areas, the cities, there’s a really big difference in progressivism and conservatism,” said Hans.
But what made the shift inevitable was when he began to bear, in his heart, the passion to end the commercialization of the Philippine education system. He began holding that passion around his Grade 12 year as an elected councillor of his senior high school student council.
He, along with his classmates, asked the administration to stop using a certain booklet, arguing that it did not have any usefulness to their learning. Hans’ alma mater for senior high and college, the University of San Carlos (USC), responded to their request by stating that the administration had to utilize the booklet as it was part of the curriculum. Hans, however, argues that the contents within the learning material were not “relevant” to the curriculum.
“And that’s when it occurred to me that money is what they’re really looking for, at the end of the day,” said Hans, “not really the enrichment of the students inside the University.”
The booklet debacle altered Hans’ mindset. Before the spat with the administration, he agreed with the notion that “it’s right that education is expensive because it’s a service that you’re receiving and the quality education. So, of course, it’s a very capitalistic, economist view.”
Fighting for his classmates in Grade 12, supplemented by his works as a student leader at the time and later on, marked the beginning of his understanding that “things are deeper” than the capitalistic view he used to subscribe to. He started recognizing that “everything is political.”
His passion for decommercializing Philippine education deepened as he joined the National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP), a progressive alliance of student councils that aims to fight for the rights and well-being of Filipino students. As a councillor of his high school student council, he accepted the NUSP’s invitations to attend their education discussions, enlightening himself about the problems that come with commercialized education.
“And that’s how I became, right now, a full-fledged student advocate,” said Hans. “[NUSP is] where I saw that my experience regarding the textbook was basically an eclipse of a greater problem in the Philippine education system.”
The depths of Hans’ resolve for better student welfare intensified since joining the NUSP. In USC, as a college student, he joined STAND USC, a progressive student-led political party whose goal towards a nationalist, scientific, and mass-oriented education system spoke to Hans.
After months of taking part in educational discussions and spreading awareness about social issues online, he participated in his first protest rally on International Students Day, November 17, 2021.
During the rally, he made a speech about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on his fellow USC college students, highlighting the need to bolster educational support amidst the crises students faced. In his speech, he said:
“...Today, our university continues to be unreceptive [to] the Carolinian community’s situation. The insufficient alleviation in academic demands and lack of genuine academic breaks continue to worsen the student body’s status. However, as student leaders, it is our role to persevere in the face of adversity and represent the sentiments of our constituents. In an academic institution where calls for help fall on deaf ears, we will continue to [clamour] until our voices are heeded and answered accordingly…”
He recalled how frightening it was to be part of his first protest; he was “shaking” whilst speaking, bearing difficulties when telling his speech. “As someone who came from a conservative family and community in general, you have your own reservations about attending protests.”
Moreover, when describing his initial worries about becoming an activist, he mentioned how the government is “weaponizing” the tools at its disposal to induce fear amongst activists and critics, introducing a “chilling effect.”
Fear was within Hans, “but as I finished my speech, one thing that struck me the most was that there was a civilian who passed by our group, and he said, ‘That’s right!’ while I was speaking. And from that, you realize that, ‘You’re speaking because you’re fighting for something, and because of that, my feelings of fear went away and it [turned] into a feeling of satisfaction as I concluded my speech.”
The Kitchen Table Conversations (And The Lack Thereof)
The duty of a national democrat, Hans said, is tireless and ceaseless as one should take every chance to move the other side towards progress. Hans advises not to antagonize the other side but to engage with them in dialogue, giving constructive criticism when the need arises and creating opportunities to appreciate each other’s rationales and circumstances together.
“It’s undeniable that sometimes, it gets exhausting,” Hans said when talking about the national democrats’ duty to change hearts and minds. “But at the end of the day, it’s under the idea that [...] it’s ceaseless and tireless. It’s a noble cause, and your efforts to convince people [are] not for nothing.”
That duty, however, does not get past the doors of the Balilas’ Compostela home. At most times, Hans leaves his outspoken progressive outside the door. It’s not that Hans wants to do it, but he feels he must for some stillness in his life.
When asked whether he fears his father seeing posts of him advocating for change and pictures of him at rallies, Hans replies that he does not mind as he takes pride in being an activist. “[B]ut the thing is, the outside world is already too chaotic for me. So, in some way, I’d like to keep myself safe in this household, like I don’t want to conflict with my dad,” said Hans, who would rather keep his activism to himself to avoid any arguments.
Because they are conflict-averse in general, Hans cannot recall times when they argued. And since the Balila household often circumvents the topic of politics altogether, Hans reports that he cannot point to any heated debates about specific candidates and the government.
But when the 2022 Philippine presidential election rolled in, it came as a surprise to Hans’ family that the youngest child, who kept all his political involvements to himself, posted his support for then-vice president Leni Robredo for the presidency. “‘You’re a Leni supporter?’” his family asked Hans.
Hans’ parents support Robredo’s main election rival, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., the son of the late dictator Marcos Sr.
But aside from that interaction, no arguments about Marcos versus Robredo – a situation that deviates from the familiar stories of young Robredo supporters getting into a muddy discussion at the kitchen table during dinner with their Marcos-voting parents. To Hans’ family, if they don’t make a fuss over something, there’s no problem to fuss about.
“You know, I know I told you that when people have the wrong mindset, it’s our responsibility to tell them why [their mentality is] wrong, it’s our responsibility to guide them to the appropriate ideas, but… you know, despite my principles, I have my personal rule to at least try to keep my peace at home. I don’t want to argue with them because it’s under the premise that the outside world is chaotic enough for me. I don’t want that even in the house, we’d be arguing over things like that. Just let me be, I’ll let them be.”
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On the rare occasions that Hans and his parents engage in political discourse, it may be likely that it would end up with his mother and father making specific assumptions about his activism. After all, the stigma of political activism looms in Philippine households. Parents fearmonger about how joining progressive organizations or expressing critical opinions of the government could link them to specific groups such as the New People's Army (NPA), the military wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines and a designated terrorist group by the Philippine government. Such linkages concocted by these parents are based on hunches that lack clear evidence to support their accusations.
Hans heard similar warnings from his parents when he spoke up against the Philippine National Police (PNP)’s raid of the Lumad Bakwit schools, specifically the February 2021 arrest of Lumad children and their teachers at the University of San Carlos-Talamban campus. The arrests were made over suspicions of the children being trained into “child warriors” by alleged members of the NPA.
The Commission on Human Rights stated that there is no evidence suggesting the indoctrination of the Lumad children during their stay at USC’s Talamban campus. Human rights organization Amnesty International questioned the police labelling the raid as a “rescue operation,” noting how the children were not “held captive” and thus did not necessitate the actions of the police.
For years, the Lumad, a collective term for twenty indigenous groups living on the island of Mindanao, have been displaced and faced danger due to the decades-long conflict between the Philippine government and communist rebel groups. The conflict includes the reported attacks and shutdowns of Lumad schools, with government officials decrying the schools as “communist training grounds” meant to “indoctrinate” indigenous children.
If anything, the police are putting the Lumad in more harm by red-tagging them, making bold and unsubstantiated claims that the children are being groomed to become part of the communist insurgency. The Lumad children could face the outrage of those who believe the PNP’s wild accusations, leading to harassment, abuse, injury of all kinds, and even death.
(Click the hyperlinks to read more about the Lumad crisis and the February 2021 police raid on the USC-Talamban campus)
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Coincidentally, during the week when the raid occurred, then-senior high USC student Hans prepared a presentation for his Policy Advocacy class about the plight of the Lumad tribes. He became aware of the raid only after he finished sharing his presentation, learning about the situation through an article in Today’s Carolinian. Hans then posted the slides of his presentation on his Facebook profile page “to criticize the initiative of the state forces at that time.
“I did not realize that it was posted in a public audience on Facebook,” said Hans, “and my mom saw it, and she was like, ‘Don’t talk like that because your dad’s part of the police,’ and I was criticizing the police.”
He countered his mother’s warning by explaining how their stay at USC-Talamban was “valid,” considering the situation they faced in their hometowns. His mother did not respond to Hans.
Hans presumes his father, a retired cop, does not know about the post since he does not have any form of social media. However, Hans cannot be certain whether or not his dad knows about his son’s activism since his mother sometimes shares what she sees online with her husband.
If Hans’ father did happen to see the posted slides, he would probably tell his son to “stray away” from progressives.
On the off chance that Hans received sprinkles of support from his parents, coupled with those sprinkles were dollops of their reservations about their son’s political activism. “During my [presidential] candidacy, [...] they were like, ‘I fully support your presidential campaign, but I’ll have you know that you are being used by them.”
The “them” in question is the progressive movement he identifies himself with as a student leader, and they’re pulling the strings attached to Hans. Of course, Hans didn’t agree with their assertions. “I have my own autonomy,” he insisted.
Things Can Only Get Better
The world, as Hans knows it, currently exists under the most flawed ways of operation. Take the Philippine education system, for example; he describes it as colonial (geared towards serving foreign nations or modelled after those by foreign nations), commercialized (driven by profit margins), and repressive (enacting policies that stifle criticism and limit student speech).
The status quo under which the world operates, despite the troubling suffering it has inflicted on the have-nots amongst us, resembles the man who can’t be moved. However, unlike the Script song, the status quo’s immobility is not based on hope and longing but on greed and stubbornness. The outdated systems, including the Philippine education system, continue to be running because of the gatekeepers who benefit from the current state of affairs. At the same time, the majority of those within the system are left out of most of the benefits. They have become involuntary actors in a cycle that provides them minimal gains but exacts the highest detriments.
It’s a tall order to change the system, for it consists of mechanisms and people that limit, if not eliminate, any meaningful reforms. Just by examining precedence in the Philippines, any attempts to convince the conservative gatekeepers have been futile.
Despite the immense, wide-reaching, and undeniable clamour to stop the tuition fee increase, the USC administration went ahead with its proposal and raised the cost of a Carolinian education.
On a more national note, even when commuters and transportation workers protested against the Marcos administration’s plan to phase out the use of traditional jeepneys in the Philippines, the executive branch did not yield to the concerns and calls, pushing through with its agenda.
When the going gets tough, the tough get going, yes, but one can imagine how upsetting it must be to not see and make the change that’s been yearned for.
Before running to become the USC SSC president, Hans questioned himself, pondering whether his work had been fruitful. “That’s why I said it’s really important to recognize even the smallest form of victories because at the time, I was very unappreciative of my efforts and I started sabotaging myself.”
“I told myself, ‘Have the things I have been doing actually been effective for the Carolinian community, for the Cebu community in general?’ Because, you know, when you’re fighting an entire system, it’s really hard to obtain victories, like major victories I guess. Because of that, I started questioning my credibility.”
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When Hans doubts what he’s done, all he has to do is remind himself of the things that keep him hanging onto the fight. One of those things is the dream of finally chucking the status quo into the ash heap of history in favour of a new vision of the Philippines, one that will serve the Filipino people best. “Alternatively, what I want to fight for is the contradiction of that very system,” Hans shared.
He envisions a system rooted in nationalism (designed to improve the Philippines, as well as to instill a sense of national pride by encouraging the Filipino heritage and becoming responsive to the needs of citizens), science (aims to battle disinformation and misinformation through a curriculum championing media literacy and address the country’s concerns through data-based approaches), and the masses (accessible for and catered towards the everyday Filipinos).
What he is fighting for is a life-long commitment, and he sounds like he’s willing to fight for the long haul. From that tussle with the administration over a booklet, to his first speech at a protest, to his run for the SSC presidency, to his resistance against familial pressures about his beliefs, to the November 20 walkout, he has shown that he wants to be there to bring about changes.
When the going gets tough, the tough get going, yes, and Hans, along with his fellow student leaders and the progressive movement, are tough enough to brave whatever challenges will come their way.
“It’s undeniable that sometimes, it gets exhausting,” Hans said when talking about the national democrats’ duty to change people’s hearts and minds, “but at the end of the day, it’s under the idea that [...] it’s ceaseless and tireless. It’s a noble cause and your efforts to convince people [are] not for nothing. It’s – again, it’s exhausting – but it’s also necessary that throughout the process, you at least try to recognize the minor victories you achieve throughout.”
The small wins can count. It’s wins like how President Marcos extended the deadline of the jeepney modernization program to April 2024. It’s also wins like the students of USC overwhelmingly panning their university’s tuition fee increase, with some actively peacefully assembling and protesting the unpopular move. Both developments are opportunities for the people to rally behind the change they want to see.
“It’s a lifelong commitment to be a mass leader,” said Hans, “so it’s understandable that sometimes, things can get too tiring. But at the same time, if you’re a leader, your motivation comes from the masses.
“So when I get exhausted, I remind myself: ‘What am I fighting for? What is this fight for?’”
Hans and Mikael conducted two interviews: an online interview held on November 25, 2022, and an in-person interview on July 6, 2023.
Recommended Song: Take Me Home Tonight - Eddie Money
Pictures of Today’s Carolinian interview used in this page and the main publication material were taken by Kiezo Se Kong (@kiezo_sekong).
